Thoughts on this diet
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Ok???
You have to be very dedicated to it. If you drink a slim fast, and then also slip and eat regularly, you've just doubled your normal (overweight) calorie intake. I used to drink slimfast in addition to meals to gain weight (for lifting), and it worked. So be careful. The best way to lose weight is to cut calories and work out. You need to try and burn more calories than you consumer.
But I'm not much of an expert at dieting or losing weight. I know Clare (breakfast) would have some good advice.
But I'm not much of an expert at dieting or losing weight. I know Clare (breakfast) would have some good advice.
i did slimfast for a few weeks before i was in a wedding... and i dropped about 20pounds.. mostly water weight im sure... but definitely just watch that you dont eat too many calories in addition to the shakes...
i used to blend mine with some ice... to give it a little pizazz...
i used to blend mine with some ice... to give it a little pizazz...
Hahahaha
BreakfastSurreal
Well-Known Member
I think trying to do the slimfast diet as a "starter" diet can be very hard. If you have problems with controlling appetite, then slimfast is not for you, because as Ouz said, if you slip up and eat when you've already drank a meal replacement shake, then you have doubled your calories. I have dieted on and off for years, and to tell you the truth, the EASIEST diet for me to stick with has been Weight Watchers. It accomodates lazy people and gets us into dieting without being so strict that it rules out your favorite foods. You CAN eat anything, but it's all about portion control. I'm no longer on weight watchers, because after 9 months of it I needed something a bit more strict, and I have things like appetite under control. If you want to know more about WW let me know, I can give you the lowdown. But basically if you live off microwave food, you can STILL live off microwave food because of smart ones and lean cuisines 
To lose 40 pounds, you have to reduce your caloric intake by 140,000 calories. Stretched out over a years time is more than achievable. That only works out to 384 calories a day. So if you normally take in 3500 (wich is high) then by cutting back 11% will get you to that magic 40 lbs.
If you wanted to lose 40 lbs and not change your eating habits at all, then you would need to burn that extra 140,000 calories. Brisk walking burns 300 calories per hour. So you would have to "brisk walk" for 467 hours to burn off 140,000 calories (40 lbs) Thats 90 minutes every single day for a year.
By combining the two you can cut your caloric intake by 200 calories every day (21 lbs of fat) and "brisk walk" for 40 minutes every day (19 lbs of fat) to achieve your goal.
It's all a numbers game. Every 3,500 calories = 1 lb of fat.
If you wanted to lose 40 lbs and not change your eating habits at all, then you would need to burn that extra 140,000 calories. Brisk walking burns 300 calories per hour. So you would have to "brisk walk" for 467 hours to burn off 140,000 calories (40 lbs) Thats 90 minutes every single day for a year.
By combining the two you can cut your caloric intake by 200 calories every day (21 lbs of fat) and "brisk walk" for 40 minutes every day (19 lbs of fat) to achieve your goal.
It's all a numbers game. Every 3,500 calories = 1 lb of fat.
Damn thats alot of numbers, but it kinda makes it seem like I could do it.
The whole key to the numbers game is knowing exactly how many calories you take in a day. Also you need to figure out how many calories you need every day to sustain the weight you are at (your basal metabolic rate) Here is a basic calculator for you to use. There are also very complicated ones that have you answer a lot of questions about your daily activity to refine this number even more.
BreakfastSurreal
Well-Known Member
It also depends on your metabolism, some people burn fat faster than others. The key to getting a faster metabolism is eating smaller and more frequent meals. Just think of your metabolism as a fire. With a fire you need to keed feeding it so it will stay lit and stay hot, and your body's metabolism is just like that. Weight watchers works well, but honestly to start out it is best if you go to their weekly meetings, it really helps with motivation, and the little 5 pound recognitions you get are nice I will post more on it later, I need to go to work!
I will post more on it later, I need to go to work!Here, this will help you understand Metabolism better...
Raise Your Metabolism and Burn More Calories
When our main source of energy, our blood sugar (glucose), runs low, the process of metabolism turns our body fat into energy. Conversely, when our supply of blood sugar runs high, the process of metabolism stores excess energy by turning it into body fat to be used another time. Or, all too often, just left to sit there.
Our BMR & RMR Calculator uses your sex, age, height and weight to estimate your RMR (Resting Metabolic Rate), the number of calories you would burn if you were to do nothing but rest for 24 hours. This represents the minimum amount of energy required to keep your body functioning, including your heart beating, lungs breathing, and body temperature normal.
When we exercise, our bodies require more energy and our metabolism speeds up to supply it. But most of the time we are not very active, and this is the reason people want to raise their metabolism. They want to burn more calories 24/7, even when they are just sitting or sleeping.
More Efficient?
Articles written on the subject of raising metabolism often suggest that an increased metabolism is more efficient because it burns more calories. This is true if your goal is to lose weight. But it is interesting to note that an increased metabolism is actually less efficient, requiring more food to maintain body weight. This goes against nature's design for survival.
Even more important is the observation that an increased metabolism has been shown to cause premature aging. You have to ask yourself whether you are willing to have your body run like an automobile in neutral with its engine racing. The alternative, eating healthy foods in reasonable quantities and exercising on a regular basis, would seem the healthier choice.
Raising Your Metabolism
We suggest that you speak with a doctor before turning to artificial means such as drugs or herbs to raise your metabolism. And if you're attracted to gimmicks like eating hot spices, drinking cold water, or chewing gum, you might want to speak to a therapist that specializes in eating disorders.
The following topics present ways in which your metabolism can be increased naturally through healthy living.
Eat Frequently
It is important to understand what happens when you skip a meal or go on a crash diet. When you skip a meal your metabolism slows to conserve your energy. And when you lose weight too quickly for a few days, your body thinks it is threatened with starvation and goes into survival mode. It fights to conserve your fat stores, and any weight loss comes mostly from water and muscle.
Never skip a meal, especially breakfast, and eat healthy snacks between meals. Eating frequently prevents hunger pangs and the binges that follow, provides consistent energy, and may be the single most effective way to maintain metabolism efficiency.
When you will be away from home or work, plan your snacks and take them along so that you will be able to eat regularly and won't be tempted by junk food. This may be good advice for people who stay at home, too.
But remember that it was probably snacking between meals that caused you to become overweight in the first place. It will be very important that any snacks are healthy, that they are pre-portioned so you won't be tempted to overeat, and that meal sizes are reduced to compensate for the additional calories the snacks provide.
Exercise Regularly
Dieting or restricting your caloric intake can cause your metabolism to slow. Exercise can help to counter this effect.
And exercise is the one sure way to burn more calories safely. The improved health you will gain through regular exercise will increase your life expectancy so significantly that the benefits will far outweigh the aging effect of an increased metabolism.
At home, at the gym, playing sports, participate in both aerobic and strength building activities on a regular basis. Not only does the exercise itself increase your metabolism, but exercise -- especially cardio -- causes your metabolism to remain elevated for a period of time after you finish exercising. And strength building exercise builds muscle which helps to keep your metabolism elevated 24 hours a day.
Improve Your Body Composition or Percentage of Muscle vs. Fat
Generally speaking, aerobic activities like running burn more calories than strength building activities like weight lifting. But it is important to note that muscle burns calories, while fat does not. This means that the more muscular you are, the higher your metabolism will remain at all times.
If you examine the equation used to calculate RMR, you will see that metabolism decreases with age. This is largely due to the decrease in muscle mass typically experienced as people age, and can largely be countered by continuing to perform strength building activities.
While genetics will always have an effect on your appearance, through diet and exercise you can control your body composition.
Raise Your Metabolism and Burn More Calories
When our main source of energy, our blood sugar (glucose), runs low, the process of metabolism turns our body fat into energy. Conversely, when our supply of blood sugar runs high, the process of metabolism stores excess energy by turning it into body fat to be used another time. Or, all too often, just left to sit there.
Our BMR & RMR Calculator uses your sex, age, height and weight to estimate your RMR (Resting Metabolic Rate), the number of calories you would burn if you were to do nothing but rest for 24 hours. This represents the minimum amount of energy required to keep your body functioning, including your heart beating, lungs breathing, and body temperature normal.
When we exercise, our bodies require more energy and our metabolism speeds up to supply it. But most of the time we are not very active, and this is the reason people want to raise their metabolism. They want to burn more calories 24/7, even when they are just sitting or sleeping.
More Efficient?
Articles written on the subject of raising metabolism often suggest that an increased metabolism is more efficient because it burns more calories. This is true if your goal is to lose weight. But it is interesting to note that an increased metabolism is actually less efficient, requiring more food to maintain body weight. This goes against nature's design for survival.
Even more important is the observation that an increased metabolism has been shown to cause premature aging. You have to ask yourself whether you are willing to have your body run like an automobile in neutral with its engine racing. The alternative, eating healthy foods in reasonable quantities and exercising on a regular basis, would seem the healthier choice.
Raising Your Metabolism
We suggest that you speak with a doctor before turning to artificial means such as drugs or herbs to raise your metabolism. And if you're attracted to gimmicks like eating hot spices, drinking cold water, or chewing gum, you might want to speak to a therapist that specializes in eating disorders.
The following topics present ways in which your metabolism can be increased naturally through healthy living.
Eat Frequently
It is important to understand what happens when you skip a meal or go on a crash diet. When you skip a meal your metabolism slows to conserve your energy. And when you lose weight too quickly for a few days, your body thinks it is threatened with starvation and goes into survival mode. It fights to conserve your fat stores, and any weight loss comes mostly from water and muscle.
Never skip a meal, especially breakfast, and eat healthy snacks between meals. Eating frequently prevents hunger pangs and the binges that follow, provides consistent energy, and may be the single most effective way to maintain metabolism efficiency.
When you will be away from home or work, plan your snacks and take them along so that you will be able to eat regularly and won't be tempted by junk food. This may be good advice for people who stay at home, too.
But remember that it was probably snacking between meals that caused you to become overweight in the first place. It will be very important that any snacks are healthy, that they are pre-portioned so you won't be tempted to overeat, and that meal sizes are reduced to compensate for the additional calories the snacks provide.
Exercise Regularly
Dieting or restricting your caloric intake can cause your metabolism to slow. Exercise can help to counter this effect.
And exercise is the one sure way to burn more calories safely. The improved health you will gain through regular exercise will increase your life expectancy so significantly that the benefits will far outweigh the aging effect of an increased metabolism.
At home, at the gym, playing sports, participate in both aerobic and strength building activities on a regular basis. Not only does the exercise itself increase your metabolism, but exercise -- especially cardio -- causes your metabolism to remain elevated for a period of time after you finish exercising. And strength building exercise builds muscle which helps to keep your metabolism elevated 24 hours a day.
Improve Your Body Composition or Percentage of Muscle vs. Fat
Generally speaking, aerobic activities like running burn more calories than strength building activities like weight lifting. But it is important to note that muscle burns calories, while fat does not. This means that the more muscular you are, the higher your metabolism will remain at all times.
If you examine the equation used to calculate RMR, you will see that metabolism decreases with age. This is largely due to the decrease in muscle mass typically experienced as people age, and can largely be countered by continuing to perform strength building activities.
While genetics will always have an effect on your appearance, through diet and exercise you can control your body composition.
BreakfastSurreal
Well-Known Member
here is the deal with weight watchers. Basically, it is a points system. According to your weight, you are allowed a certain number of points per day. These points are figured by comparing fiber to fat to calories. There is no easy formula to figure out points, you just simply need the WW starter kit with the points slider or you will want to look points up online. For me, I am allowed 22 points a day. When I was on WW, I could eat those points however I see fit, and each week you are allowed 35 bonus points. So if you wanted to go to dinner one night a week, you could, and you'd still lose weight. I really recommend going to attend a meeting, the first one is free and they will explain all about it to you. If you go and think meetings are not for you, you can still purchase the starter kit for $35 that has everything you need to know in it.
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